illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on Sustainable Times or enjoy below:
🗞️ Driving the news: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), led by Administrator Lee Zeldin, has unveiled plans to repeal the 2009 “endangerment finding” — the legal basis that classifies greenhouse gases as pollutants harmful to human health and underpins all federal climate regulation
• Zeldin described the move as the "biggest deregulatory action in U.S. history," marking a radical shift in national climate policy
🔭 The context: The 2009 endangerment finding, issued under the Obama administration, was based on scientific consensus linking greenhouse gas emissions to climate change and public health risks
• It enabled the EPA to regulate emissions from vehicles, power plants, and industry under the Clean Air Act
• Rolling it back would dismantle the legal framework behind key rules like vehicle fuel standards and the Clean Power Plan
• The proposal comes amid a broader political campaign to reverse federal climate regulations
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Revoking the endangerment finding would severely limit the federal government's authority to address climate change through emissions regulation
• It risks undermining national progress toward net-zero goals and could weaken global climate leadership at a critical moment
• Environmental and legal experts warn it could increase emissions, delay clean energy investment, and erode health protections for vulnerable communities
⏭️ What's next: The repeal proposal will undergo a public comment period, expected to trigger intense legal and political opposition
• Environmental groups, state attorneys general, and climate advocates are preparing lawsuits, while businesses face increased regulatory uncertainty
• If finalized, the move could drastically reshape U.S. climate governance and shift the burden of climate action to states and the private sector
💬 One quote: “This is a direct assault on the legal foundations of U.S. climate action and an unprecedented rollback of public health protections.” – Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) legal spokesperson
📈 One stat: The endangerment finding underpins regulations that currently cover more than 70% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Congressional Research Service
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